It's Saturday and Coca Cola is killing me

Good morning sistas,

I am up this morning and ready to face a hard truth: Coca Cola is killing me.  Really.  I am going to make my peace with this fact or die trying.  I have a more complicated history with Coke than I do with any other thing on this earth. Maybe some of you do too?

I stopped drinking cokes two weeks prior to my WLS and it was hard.  But I did it.  Then I kept off of them for several years until Butch went into hospice last June.  I was so stressed and so distraught by that point that I didn't care WHAT happened to me.  I stopped taking my vitamins and supplements.  I stopped caring about my health or my weight.  I began walking half a block from the hospice house to the 7Eleven twice a day where I would buy a fountain coke and a candy bar.  And bam, just like that, coke and chocolate were back in my life.

I regained 30 pounds last year.  I was depressed.  I was grieving.  I was drinking at least one Coke a day, sometimes two.  And I hurt all over.  My joints hurt, my head hurt, my body hurt.  The physical pain and emotional pain all ran together, and frankly, I didn't care why I was hurting so much.  I pretty much wanted to just die anyway.  So I kept turning to my two comfort foods: coke and chocolate.

Well, fast forward to January of this year.  I got past Christmas and I decided I had to do something to help myself before the new baby arrived in February.  So I straightened up. I stopped drinking Coke--again.  And I went vegetarian.  And wow!  I immediately started to feel better.  But in my mind, I attributed my miraculous improvement to cutting animal protein out of my diet.  (And truly, I do think that was part of it.  Not trying to negate the benefits of going vegetarian.  I plan to continue.) I had a couple of pretty good weeks in January.  I felt better.  I started to drop a few pounds.  Things were going in the right direction.

But then, and here I just don't know why, I started back drinking Cokes again.  I began by buying those "baby" coke cans and telling myself I could have one a day.  Ha!  I was quickly drinking two or three of those baby cokes daily.  So I stopped buying them and told myself, "If you want a coke, you'll have to get in the car and go get one."  LOL!  Like that would stop me.  I immediately became friends with the Middle Eastern man at my local QuikStop because I was there every day for a coke.

And so, here I am, back hurting Everywhere again.  My joints hurt.  My muscles are weak.  My hips are killing me.  I can barely get up and down.  I can't even think about getting down on the floor for fear I can't get up again.  And I finally have to face the fact that Coca Cola is killing me.  I got on-line last night and googled the health effects of Coke.  It's stunning.  It's horrible.  It's no wonder that I feel like crap.  I have to stop drinking these death sodas again.  

So that's both my confession and my soap box for the day.  It may knock me on my butt for the next several days, but I am DONE with drinking cokes.  They make me fat.  They make me hurt.  They make me crave chocolate (which, let's face it, is another addiction all on it's own, but Coke exacerbates it). Today is Saturday.  I am going to wait a week and then report on how my body feels after 7 days without drinking poison daily.  

You know (and here I realize I'm preaching to the choir), just because a substance is readily available and sitting on every grocery store shelf, doesn't mean it's healthy or safe!  Not all addictions are illegal. I am addicted to Cokes and chocolate.  I will kick the cokes to the curb first, and then I'll work on the chocolate addiction next.  

Sorry y'all.  But I needed to get that off my chest.  Just like I need to get these extra pounds off my bottom!  I might whine a bit over the next several days.  If so, just ignore me.  I used to tell Butch 20 times a day: "I want a Coke."  He never fussed at me, but just let me whine while I dealt with the cravings.  I truly thought I had knocked that addiction to the ground, but I guess not.  Sigh.  I guess I'm human after all.

On a brighter note, today is warm and sunny.  Carrie's BFF Kristen is coming for a visit today.  That will do my daughter good!  She needs her friends.  And this old mama needs a break from being the sole supporter around here for a couple of hours.  I don't know what I might do with my free time.  If I go shopping, I will TRY not to buy any more dishes!  LOL! 

I'd better get off now.  Y'all are no doubt sick of reading this.  Love you all!

Good Morning Vickie and OFF,

Vickie, I understand about the sugar and chocolate.  But, I have been drinking Diet Coke since the Seventies, and never went back to regular soda pop since.  It's still a problem, coz folks say it weakens bones, but I am addicted.  I was able to stop drinking soda, and caffeine, before my surgery, and even about a year after, as well as sugar, but since 2007, when I relapsed on alcohol, that sugar demon, and Diet Coke demon, have dogged me.  Colleen and Mom are on me about soda weakening the bones..  I was pretty much off soda for about a year before I moved here, only getting it when I was out, if unsweet iced tea was available,but after living at my sister's I went right back.  I love seltzer water mixed with cranberry juice, not the juice ****tail, but I can't kick the soda.  Hang in there.  It's one day at a time.  Can you switch to diet?  Diet Pepsi is no longer made with Aspartame.  I've tried it and it's good.  Not exactly Diet Coke, but better than it used to be.  It's not ideal, but it's got the caffeine and carbonation.  I rationalize that Diet Coke is the lesser of a lot of evils, which I have already given up, like alcohol.

I couldn't sleep last night, and was up very late.  I didn't do much around the house yesterday.  After running errands, I packaged ten pounds of boneless chicken breasts.  I got them at a meat store that gets quality meats, not the chemical loaded stuff in grocery store, from farms in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.  These breasts were huge.  I cut ups half of them, and made half of that with recipes to just thaw and put in the oven, half for other recipes later, and then whole breasts for deciding later.  I put them in those new Ziploc vacuum seal bags, which are pretty easy to use.  They're in the freezer for later now.  Oh, the best part, those breasts were $1.99 a pound, when bought in the ten pound bag.  That's a steal.  I was sitting while packaging everything.  

Then, I did a quick clean up in the bathroom.  Still have laundry to do.  And now, a sink full of dishes.  I'm going to get my knee walker out for those jobs.  I was hoping I didn't need it anymore, but I do.  

Must scoot for now.  Will try to get back later.

Hugs,

Trish

P.S., I never get tired of reading your posts here.  That's what we are here for.  Encouragement, support, rants, whine, whatever we need to keep putting one foot in front of the other in this WLS journey.  Plus, friends listen, and send cyber hugs when we can't do it in person.

Love you

Hi everyone,

Hello to all the beautiful OFF ladies.

Oh, Vicki I know of several people who have Coca Cola addictions. Some drink seven or 8 cans a day. It is a difficult addiction to kick. It is not an uncommon addiction. And the chocolate.......well, that is kinda everyone in first world countries addiction. Mine included.

As with any addiction, take it one day at a time. One hour at a time. You are so strong beautiful lady, you got this.

Patricia, that chicken sounds yummy. Very yummy. And you have plenty to make different recipes. It is one of the healthiest protein for post WLS patients. Sadly I don't eat my protein first. Shame on me. Vicki, with you it is Coke. With me it is those God forsaken Power Crunch Chocolate Mint Protein bars. They are my crack.

Just sending my love to all of you here, to all to come. Prayers for all that need them.

Love you all,

Arlene.

Vic,

Don't beat yourself up but do make changes. The sugar and caffeine are highly addictive. I am fortunate that sugar makes me ill but caffeine and I are bed buddies...I am having the worse luck kicking coffee and diet cokes to the curve. I have cut down but the thought of no diet coke scares me.  

You know that to stop, you have to make a plan and stick to it. You will get this under control and drop those pounds. Find the triggers and replace the response with something else. I am pushing water like crazy hoping that the fluid will stop me from drinking the diet coke....but as soon as I look at my bottle and see it getting to the half way mark, I freak and start rationing it so I will have coke for the evening.  Now that's sad.  

Plus, once you get home and get your routine back, you will do much better.  

Afternoon OFF Family!!!

Vic...I used to be a coke drinker also...not any more. When I first had to give it up for WLS it was hard I will admit that. After WLS it was well over a year or more before I wanted to TRY it again. OMG it tasted like GAS!!!!!!!!! Yes GAS!!!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!! But I kept trying it every now and then...yup didn't taste like gas anymore....so I would have a coke once in awhile. I can't drink more than one in a day even now. No room for it. I drink water. Now I hardly ever touch coke again. Maybe once a week if that. Same thing with the alcohol. One a week if that even. I drink the water again. I hardly ever drank water for a long long time. Now I am buying water every week by the huge cases!!!!! Weird for me that's for sure!!! And PLEASE!!!!!!! DO NOT drink DIET ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!! (as far as pop goes!!!!) That is NOT good for us!!!!!!!! As for the sugars...omg I am stuck on that and also the chips!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't leave them alone!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear I will not buy anymore and I will go for weeks and BAM!!!!!!! Here they are back in the apartment again!!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So hang with me and we will get over this together someday!!!!!!!!!!!! HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Well this week has been a ***** here...so busy with new people and getting apartments shown and rented and all...OMG I am worn out I hurt so bad!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus the new guy starting and he is a gem!!!!!!!!!! Don't have to tell him what needs to be done he just starts right in and gets it done!!! He just gets lost here trying to find where to go yet...but he is learning fast!!!! Heck we were all lost when we started here!!!

Bingo tonight....can't wait!!!! I hurt all over though so not sure if I should take anything for pain or not because it usually knocks me out....sighs.....so I will just sit though the pain I guess. Wait til I get home.

Well going to play my games on FB I never got to play them last night...was so tired....omg was I tired!!!!!!!

Thoughts & Prayers for ALL that need them!!!!!!!

HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Hi Vickie, my name is Eileen and I'm a chocoholic. I crave dark chocolate kisses especially, but any chocolate will do. I've limited myself to 15 dark chocolate kisses a day. And you know what? I've lost 10 pounds. I'm two pounds away from what I weighed when I got to Evansville. Amazing! As for the Coke habit, I haven't had regular pop since I was in college. I've been drinking Diet Coke for years. My brother drinks Coke Zero and says it tastes a lot like regular Coke. Still hard on the bones, but it might be what you're looking for. I try to limit myself to one Diet Coke a day, but sometimes I need the extra caffeine to keep me going at work (and the dark chocolate helps, too, because if I start to nod off, I need the sugar to keep me awake). 

We all have our weaknesses. We're all here to help each other. There's no right or wrong. No one will think you're weak because you've given in ... you've had a rough year. Personally, I probably would have given in to a lot more if I were you. I think you're a remarkably strong woman who has faced some really tough times in the past year. I admire you. 

I got up and dressed early today because someone on FB's Evansville Online Garage Sale contacted me about my GPS that I put on sale back in July or August. He offered $30 for it ... I had asked for $50 I think. $30 was fine because it was just collecting dust in a drawer, so I had to go meet him at the McDonald's near the house. So I met him, got my money, unloaded the old GPS (I got a new one on Groupon with lifetime maps last year) and went to Hallmark and bought a birthday card for my friend Roxane (her bday is tomorrow). She'll be 60. 

I swear I can find more body parts to injure. Back on Monday night, I was taking out a jar of peanut butter and the lid was slight off. I was trying to make sure I didn't drop the jar (yes, it's plastic, but I didn't want peanut butter everywhere) and somehow I hurt my left thumb. It had been feeling better until today, when I hyperextended it again. Don't know how I did it. It just hurts like hell. I've been trying to put it on ice for awhile, and that seems to help. If it's not better by Monday, I'll have it checked out. 

Work again tonight; busy Saturday night as usual. Lots of basketball, a little college baseball (in 40-degree weather) and the usual stuff. I'll be getting ready to go soon. Didn't get much done last night.

Have a good day, OFF family. 

Good afternoon Vickie and everyone...

Vickie....years ago I did drink Coke and today I still love it. I gave it up many years ago. I still crave it but I just can't go there! Once I do that will be it and I will be drinking it all the time!! I love the smell and the taste and the richness of the cola...very satisfying to me! I don't drink carbonated beverages very often at all. I don't like how I   feel if I have just one. I am a water person. Sometimes I have  a vitamin water. That is my treat!! I feel for you having to stop Coke. I couldn't if I started again. Good Luck Sweetie! 

I have a hard enough time with chocolate..I am still eating it but not nearly as much. I don't think I can let this one go completely!

We are not sick of reading your posts. It feels good to let it all out now and then. I sure am guilty of that!!  

Enjoy your free time today. I love to browse. I have learned I can't  buy just anything because I like it....my budget just doesn't allow for that. I am used to it now.

I am going to finish drinking my Premier Protein and the go for a little walk. I walked yesterday afternoon. I went a little to far. I got back to my building and my legs were so shaky I had to sit in the lobby and rest awhile. I will be way more cautious today. I just want togged out there and sit in the sun for awhile. It is now 59 degrees!! That is amazing for using February!! I have to enjoy it when I can.

I will be back to post and reply to posts when I come back in.

Lots of love and many hugs to you....connie d